The thought of creating your own dental practice, or taking over an existing one, can be very exciting. The idea of employing your own staff, working the way you want, in a space you can call your own is perhaps the ultimate goal for any dental practitioner.
However, doing so can be a difficult and time-consuming task. You may have the ultimate dream surgery in your mind, but first of all, you need to find the right site; one that provides you with enough space for the services you wish to provide, has good access, local parking, reasonable visibility to potential customers, and leaves you with enough budget to fit out or refurbish the interior.
Once you have your site, the real work begins. Your new practice may not be set out the way you want it, or have reasonable provision for disabled people. This could mean drawing up and getting plans passed, engaging in building work (and adhering to building regulations), which requires employing and overseeing sub-contractors. Then you will need to source suppliers.
The way your practice finally looks will say a lot about you and the way you run your business, so creating the right environment for both patients and staff is essential. In doing so, you will need to ensure you make optimal use of space for all your chosen facilities and comply with all the necessary health and safety regulations, CQC and other regulatory requirements. You may want to make provision for future services when experience and budget allow.
All this requires a variety of skills, outside those of dentistry, including planning – knowing where to site services such as plumbing and lighting, and the best utilisation of space; organisation – managing multiple sub-contractors at the right time to ensure a continuous flow of work; and supervision – keeping on top of the project so that work is done the way you want it.
If you are refurbishing an existing site, you may have the problem of maintaining a full appointment book alongside the work. If the surgery is brand new, although you will have the luxury of an empty site, you will have no practice income. Either way, the project will need to be completed as soon as possible, and without any extra budgetary surprises.
Suddenly this exciting project can seem like a daunting task filled with problems and pitfalls to snare the unwary. Without doubt, creating or refurbishing a practice is a mammoth job, but you can take much of the stress out of the equation by employing a company that specialises in dentistry assignments, which will organise and run the project with you.
A company of this nature can be involved to whatever degree you require, from initial planning right through to completion if you wish. The first thing they will do is discuss your needs and establish exactly what you want from your surgery.
Having surveyed the premises, taking into account any structural needs, the company will then offer various suggestions and ideas to meet your requirements. They will work out the best use of space that ensures services are properly positioned, fixtures, fittings and equipment are utilised, and ensure the whole thing complies with all the regulations. They will then suggest complementary décor and furnishings.
The company will draw up detailed plans, which can be produced as either 2D or even 3D, full-colour drawings. These drawings will form the basis of your project plan. Because they are produced using computer-aided design (known as CAD), they can take you on a tour of your various options, turning the surgery of your dreams into a ‘virtual’ reality before you make your final decision. Any changes you may wish to explore can be easily undertaken, and the outcome quickly reviewed. Once your plan, budget and timescales are agreed, the company will organise all the necessary contractors, suppliers and materials, as and when they are needed.
A specialist company with more than 30 years’ experience of surgery design and equipment solutions is a family-run business Clark Dental. They not only offer attractive, unique designs, they can also provide the best equipment and furnishings from leading manufacturers. One of their greatest assets is their personal service, treating their customers ‘like family’; building trust to ensure those customers are confident they are getting the best possible advice.
Creating your own dental practice should be an exciting, trouble-free experience, but like any major project, it is fraught with problems that can potentially hinder and frustrate the inexperienced or time-pressed dentist. The design of your practice is important. You want an environment that makes you and your staff happy to come to work, and makes your patients feel comfortable and safe.
Whether your project is large or small, choosing a reputable, established company with specialist knowledge and skill in the dental industry, and a proven record of keeping projects on track, will make the experience a more enjoyable one that will turn your dream surgery in to a reality.
For more information call Clark Dental on 01268 733 146, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.clarkdental.co.uk.